Wings of Evolution (WoF AU)

Chapter 18

Echo of the strata

When they arrived at these mountains, Uhar was mostly convinced that they would never find the caves. There were far too many places for them to be hiding, and if they didn't find the one that he'd entered through then there was no way his map would be of any use.

The icewings seemed to be growing ever anxious as they moved onward, he caught Drift talking worriedly to Radiance several times, "are you sure the crystal caves aren't here? Wasn't there a warning in the songs about those caves?"

Which was always responded with a calm but not completely worryless explanation from Radiance, "it's alright, just keep your breath in and nothing bad will happen."

"But what if it's those caves!"

"Calm down Drift, we aren't going to die."

"Are you sure?" Eventually, Radiance just stopped flying next to him.

Everyone had finally calmed down from Starflight's creepy prophecy, but tensions only grew as time passed and sun-high was left behind them. They had only a few hours of daylight left.

They found a few caves but Uhar quickly shot them down, "even if that leads to the caverns it won't help us any because it's not on the map." They all agreed that being lost in the caves for the rest of their lives was a bad idea.

Eventually, Starflight perked up and looked downward with wide eyes. "I can almost hear them from here."

Frost glanced at him, "what, are you going to look into the future and find the entrance?"

"Leave him alone," Sunny said absently.

Starflight frowned, "actually... maybe. I keep feeling like... there's something this way."

"Lead the way." Tsunami proclaimed. "Everyone, keep track of our route in case this leads nowhere."

Starflight gave her a sideways glance but led them off to the side a bit and into a large cave. It grew dark quickly, which Uhar was fine with, but everyone else was on edge until Cactus summoned a flame, lighting their way.

Uhar hadn't realized how strange it had been to not have walls, some part of him relaxed at last as the rock covered their every side.

The rock didn't last long though, just like before, when Uhar had been coming to the surface, the rock was replaced by crystal, clear and smooth as far as the eye could see. The icewings watched it warily, not even speaking as they moved onward. Something about frostbreath.

Uhar didn't care that it wasn't rock around them, he closed his eyes with a sigh, swiveling his ears at the faintest movement or sound as he saw without seeing the caves around him. Starflight led them further, where the crystal became purposeful, placed there and carved out by dragon talons.

Uhar stopped as he felt the wind on his side and glanced up, there he saw the exit he'd used initially, those same patterns of crystal that he remembered from that fateful day. "Ahah! That's it!" he pulled out his book and flipped to the page marking the route from here, gleefully leading the way. "I know where we are!"

From there, it wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking to go onward. Uhar expertly navigated his way, Cactus at his side providing light as the other fire-breathers brought out their flame. They walked for hours, slowly winding deeper into the tunnels that seemed almost completely untraveled and unloved. The strata that Uhar remembered so dearly appeared once more as winding lines of chaos and order.

Eventually, Uhar saw light ahead and grinned, rushing forward as they found the great hall of Lenas. Finally home.

As if the universe had wanted this to be as dramatic as possible, the Kiaen were in the middle of a gathering, every dragon that Uhar had known growing up was congregated in that great hall while Losei herself stared at the giant dragons with a dumbfounded expression.

There was no doubt that she would have to listen to them. A small seed of regret grew out of Uhar's soul, Tsunami had told him that eventually, Aurora had decided what she wanted in turn for an alliance. She wanted the Cavewings, and Uhar was surprised at how fine he was at giving them to her.

These dragons were cowards. They refused to remember their past, going to extreme lengths to keep away from it. Forgetting their language, culture, and even their knowledge of the world. The cavewings did not have a right to call themselves a tribe. And Uhar was going to force that down their throats as he dragged them up into the light.

He grinned up at Losei as she stared at each dragon, in turn, eyes landing on himself. Oh yes, she was angry, scared, and most of all, Losei had lost.

"W-What is this!?" Losei shouted, backing up a few steps.

"One would think that you of all dragons would know. Or does the glowwyrm not even know what she's been trying so hard to forget?" Uhar said in his native tongue, still grinning as the Kiaen in the crowd shrank back from the giant dragons.

He didn't even have to tell her guards to stand down as the group walked right up to Losei. "How dare you!"

He turned toward Tsunami, "this is... Losei." he said, not knowing the translation for her name. Dead ancient things that turned to stone? "She is the leader of the Kiaen, for we have no queen. She deserves none of what she has. How would you like to proceed?"

Radiance stepped forward before Tsunami could, "translate please." She focused on Losei. "The queen of snow, her rightful highness, Empress Aurora, claims these caves for her empire. You are all now subjects of her majesty's reign."

"W-what? But you don't even know what the Kiaen needs! I do!" Losei replied, looking around wildly for help.

Uhar translated hesitantly and Radiance nodded, "Echo tells me that what they need is freedom. That is what they will have. Trade between surface and caverns, knowledge of your past and future, and a queen instead of a lucky dragon only taking from those around her."

Uhar paused halfway through, not quite knowing the exact translation of 'between.' he went with his best guess though, and Losei got the message, gaping at them as even her most supportive dragons looked away. Some of them were even... hopeful?

"What about me?" Losei asked anger and tension in every muscle.

Radiance shrugged, "you've been demoted to a regular citizen."

"You can't do that to me! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM? I AM THE ESALA!"

Uhar took a bit to translate the last word, "um... is there a translation for Esala? It's basically the one who glows the most."

Tsunami snorted, "you can barely see her glowing in this lighting. Me, however..." she proceeded to command her phosphorescent scales to shine, all at once, while uhar was looking at her.

"Uhgh, ouch, what the heck Tsunami."

It had an effect though since Losei preferred to determine leadership by how much one glowed. She looked at Tsunami, blinking, and her retort died in her throat. It was obvious that out of everyone there, Tsunami glowed the most.